Northern Ireland: Dangerous and Exotic Animals

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will bring the law in Northern Ireland concerning the domestic ownership of dangerous or exotic animals into line with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Baroness Amos: We are actively preparing proposals for legislation to regulate dangerous wild animals kept by private individuals in Northern Ireland. Legislation will aim to establish an appropriate regulatory regime in the interests of public safety.
	We will be consulting on proposed legislation during the period October to December 2003.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When were the job advertisements which appear in the Belfast News Letter of 14 August for Waterways Ireland submitted to the appropriate departments and the North/South Ministerial Council for approval; and on what date the approval was given.

Baroness Amos: The organisational structure and staffing levels for Waterways Ireland were agreed at a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council on 21 June 2000. The job advertisements, which appeared in the Belfast News Letter on 14 August 2003, related to posts within the overall complement agreed at that meeting.

Northern Ireland: Advice to Ministers

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ensure that Northern Ireland Office Ministers who are required to sign North/South Ministerial Council decisions as part of the procedure of November 2002 are appraised of all advice offered to the appropriate department.

Baroness Amos: Yes. Departments are aware of the importance of briefing Ministers fully, taking into account advice that they are offered.

Northern Ireland: Departmental Legal Advice

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which Northern Ireland departments sought legal advice since 12 October 2002; on what dates the advice was sought; and on what issues.

Baroness Amos: Government departments frequently seek legal advice on matters relating to the discharge of their functions. Apart from the fact that the cost of answering this question would be excessive, it would not be appropriate to disclose the dates and issues on which legal advice was sought, as such disclosure could compromise its confidentiality.
	Legal advice is exempt from disclosure under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, a copy of which is available in the Library. To disclose the dates and issues on which legal advice was taken could compromise the important principle of privilege for legal advice. Apart from that, it would simply not be feasible to identify, across 11 Northern Ireland departments, each occasion and issue on which advice was sought.

Northern Ireland: Fouling by Dogs

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people have been prosecuted in each of the past five years for allowing their dogs to foul pubic footpaths in Northern Ireland.

Baroness Amos: District councils in Northern Ireland are responsible for taking enforcement action against those who allow their dogs to foul in public places under the provisions of the Litter (Northern Ireland) Order 1994. Such action can involve issuing fixed penalty notices or taking summary proceedings against offenders in the courts. I understand that issuing fixed penalties is more likely to be the form of action taken by councils.
	The department does not routinely collect or hold information about the number of prosecutions taken by district councils. It is considered that the action required contacting all 26 district councils to obtain the information sought would only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

North/South Implementation Bodies: Final Accounts

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 8 September (WA 6) concerning cross-border bodies, why the audit of the 2001 accounts for Waterways Ireland has not been completed.

Baroness Amos: Waterways Ireland submitted copies of its Statement of Accounts for 2001 to the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland and the Irish Comptroller and Auditor General in April 2002. This is in accordance with statutory procedures set out in the North/South Co-operation (Implementation Bodies) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. Ultimate responsibility for examination and certification of these accounts lies jointly with the Comptroller and Auditor Generals.

Special European Union Programmes Body

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 8 September (WA 8) concerning the budget for the Special European Union Programmes Body, when the approval for the budget was given; and why that information was not included in the original answer.

Baroness Amos: The initial grant for the SEUPB (i.e. the budget for first quarter of 2000) was made from money appropriated by the Appropriation (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (main estimates), following parliamentary debates on 15 and 21 June, which came into operation on 22 June 1999. Approval for the remainder of the 2000 annual budget was made under the Appropriation Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 and following debates in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 1 June, 12 June, 19 June and 26 June 2000, came into operation on 25 July 2000. In the South, Dail Eireann approved the 2000 grant for the SEUPB on 20 June 2000.
	As the 2000 budget was not approved by the NSMC it was not appropriate to give an approval date in the answer to the noble Lord on 8 September (WA 8).

Special European Union Programmes Body

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 9 September (WA 108), whether the budget for the Special European Union Programme Body for 2001 and 2002 was approved by the North/South Ministerial Council using the procedure of 5 December 2002.

Baroness Amos: I refer the noble Lord to the information provided in the Written Answers of 9 September 2003 (WA 108) and 7 July 2003 (WA 3). The budgets for the Special EU Programmes Body in 2001 and 2002 were approved by the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) prior to the introduction of the procedure of 5 December 2002.

Northern Ireland: Suspected IRA Murders

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many bodies from suspected IRA murders have not been discovered since 1969.

Baroness Amos: On 29 March 1999 the IRA named nine people that it admitted it had murdered and buried at various locations. Of these, three have so far been recovered.
	We await confirmation as to whether human remains discovered last month in County Louth are those of another of the so-called "disappeared".

Belfast Agreement: Human Rights

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 9 September (WA 107) concerning human rights, in the discussion with the Government of the Irish Republic what assurances have been received about the implementation of a parallel human rights programme in that country.

Baroness Amos: The British and Irish Governments have discussed the work of the two commissions in drawing up a joint charter of rights for the island of Ireland and have resolved to stay in touch.

Northern Ireland: Tourism

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to support the tourism industry in Strabane District Council area.

Baroness Amos: Government departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies make available a range of programmes aimed at supporting tourism development throughout Northern Ireland, including the Strabane District Council area. Areas eligible for support include accommodation development, amenity and visitor attractions, marketing programmes and events.
	For example, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has identified activity tourism as a winning theme. The NITB will work proactively with its partners in the Strabane District Council area to provide appropriate support for the development of the area's activity tourism product, eg angling, cycling, walking, golf and equestrian pursuits.
	One specific initiative which applies to Strabane District Council is the natural resource and rural tourism initiative (NRRTI). Jointly developed by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of the Environment and the NITB, the initiative is aimed at developing tourism in selected rural areas throughout Northern Ireland. Some £3.2 million of the NRRTI funding has been made available during the period 2002–06 to promote and assist the development of sustainable projects which will increase the tourism potential in the Sperrins. This area incorporates the whole of Strabane as well as parts of Omagh, Cookstown and Magherafelt District Council areas.

Northern Ireland: Tourism

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any of the departments in Northern Ireland are European Fund implementing bodies for "Sustainable Tourism Developments on Cultural Resources" and, if so, which; what allocations have been made; and for what purposes.

Baroness Amos: The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is the implementing body for the PEACE II economic renewal measure for sustainable tourism development based on shared natural and cultural resources. This is being delivered through the natural resource rural tourism initiative (NRRTI).
	The NRRTI offers assistance to tourism-related project promoters within five disadvantaged rural areas of Northern Ireland which are also designated or proposed as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Assistance focuses on the development and enhancement of natural and cultural resources which may have suffered as a result of conflict and which can benefit from the opportunities now available from peace.
	The initiative is valued at £15 million overall and is delivered by five local partnership bodies. Each partnership is responsible for drawing up, delivering and monitoring a sustainable tourism strategy.
	The allocations are as follows:
	
		
			  Target Area Partnership Funding Allocation £ 
			 The Sperrins Sperrins Tourism Ltd 3,405,385 
			 Causeway Coast and Glens Causeway Coast & Glens  Heritage Trust 3,086,528 
			 South Armagh South Armagh Tourism  Initiative 2,985,748 
			 The Mournes Mournes Heritage Trust 2,923,853 
			 Fermanagh Fermanagh Local Strategy  Partnership 3,311,486 
		
	
	It is not possible to split the funding allocation between cultural and natural elements at this stage.

Cross-Border Implementation Bodies

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 10 September (WA 122) concerning Cross-Border Implementation Bodies, whether the bodies are consulted about their yearly budgets; and, if not, why not.

Baroness Amos: The bodies are normally consulted about their annual budgets in the context of their annual business plans.

Cross-Border Implementation Bodies: Provision of Cars for Chief Executives

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 10 September (WA 123), whether the provision of a car for the chief executive is a matter only for the implementation body.

Baroness Amos: If the car provided for the chief executive forms part of the remuneration package or other conditions of service, the approval of NSMC and the Finance Ministers North and South is required.

Cross-Border Implementation Bodies: Provision of Cars for Chief Executives

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 10 September (WA 123), on what date the appropriate departments and the North/South Ministerial Council approved the provision of a car for the chief executive of the Special European Union Programmes Body.

Baroness Amos: On 5 December 2000 the NSMC agreed in principle to the appointment of the chief executive subject to agreement between him and the two finance departments on salary and other conditions of service. The two finance departments confirmed agreement on 13 December 2000 and the North/South Ministerial Council confirmed the appointment on 19 December 2000. The agreed conditions of service included provision for a lease car.

Northern Ireland: Housing Stock

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are taking to improve the housing stock in Ballymagorry, County Tyrone.

Baroness Amos: The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has responsibility for 68 properties at 17 locations in the Ballymagorry area. Of these properties, eight at Station Road will be included in the programme of multi-element improvements scheduled for 2004 and 12 rural cottages are to be demolished with the land transferring to a housing association to build new houses. The remaining pre-1970s stock has already been modernised.
	Improvements to private sector properties are carried out through grant aid, but information on the number of properties improved with the help of grant aid is only available by district council area and cannot be provided separately for Ballymagorry.

Northern Ireland Civil Service: Equality Officers

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 10 September (WA 124) concerning equality in Northern Ireland, whether their policy is to promote equality of opportunity or of outcome.

Baroness Amos: I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 11 September (WA 138).

PEACE II Funding

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to increase the capacity of the unionist, loyalist and Ulster Scots communities in Northern Ireland to apply successfully for funding from PEACE II.

Baroness Amos: The PEACE II programme is targeted on those areas, sectors or groups that have been adversely affected by the conflict and all sections of the community have equal opportunity to benefit from it. The Special EU Programmes Body is developing a publicity strategy to encourage more applications from all groups, particularly any that appear from monitoring data to be underrepresented. All project promoters making inquiries will be given advice and encouragement on how to apply for funding by their implementing body and the Special EU Programmes Body.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is appropriate that members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission who have withdrawn from the commission's activities, but are still members, should still receive their salaries.

Baroness Amos: The chief commissioner is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and in the first instance this is a matter for him. Both the chief commissioner and the Secretary of State are keeping the situation under review.

Northern Ireland: Judicial Reviews Against Public Authorities

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What judicial reviews were taken against public authorities in Northern Ireland in the past three years; which failed; and who paid the costs in each case.

Baroness Amos: Since the end of July 2000 the Crown Solicitor has received 576 applications for judicial review against UK departments and other public authorities in the excepted and reserved fields. There have been 120 applications against departments of the Northern Ireland administration and Ministers in the same period. There are no central records to indicate which of those applications were granted leave, were settled by agreement, were successful or unsuccessful, or in which costs were awarded to or against the applicants. It would put the Government to disproportionate cost to obtain the further details which the noble Lord seeks, including what judicial reviews were applied for against other public authorities for which the Crown Solicitor and the departmental solicitor do not act.

Iraq: Intelligence

Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, during the private briefings for Opposition party leaders prior to the Iraq campaign, the leaders were told of the Joint Intelligence Committee's assessment "that any collapse of the Iraqi regime would increase the risk of chemical and biological warfare technology or agents finding their way into the hands of terrorists, not necessarily Al'Qaeda," as reported in the Intelligence and Security Committee's report (Cmd 5972, page 34.)

Baroness Amos: At the Prime Minister's request, the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee briefed the leaders of the two main Opposition parties in mid-February 2003. These briefings drew on a range of assessed intelligence on matters relating to Iraq which was available to the Government at that time.

Aircraft Pollution

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to improve aircraft technology so that relevant pollutants around Heathrow Airport will meet European Union limits in 2010.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Aircraft are one of many emissions sources contributing to local air pollution in the vicinity of Heathrow and elsewhere. The Government are determined that the aviation industry will play its part in reducing emissions at source, particularly NOx as NO2 is the pollutant under greatest pressure. The Government push hard within the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for tighter NOx emissions standards and a decision on a new global NOx standard is expected in 2004. The Government are supporting UK industry work towards achieving European emissions technology goals that include, by 2020, an 80 per cent reduction in NOx emissions compared with technology levels in current service. A key vehicle for promoting industry action is the DTI aerospace innovation and growth team report launched in June this year. The Government are also considering scope to use economic instruments that will promote development and use of best available technology.

Advice to Ministers by Officials

Lord Wakeham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether their policy remains that advice to Ministers by officials is not published; and
	On what occasions advice to Ministers by officials during the current conflict in Iraq has been published.

Lord Filkin: The disclosure of civil servants' advice to Ministers will continue to be governed by the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

NHS Waiting Lists

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What recent initiatives they have introduced to lessen waiting lists in the National Health Service.

Lord Warner: The Government have introduced a number of measures to reduce waiting lists. These include:
	£50 million to tackle long waiting lists and times in National Health Service orthopaedic services;
	£56 million to end long waits for NHS cataract operations. No cataract patient will wait more than three months by December 2004, with most areas achieving this by the summer of 2004;
	the extension of the Modernisation Agency's "Action On" programme to cover general surgery, plastic surgery and urology will help deliver better access to patient-centred services in these specialties;
	general practitioners with a special interest (GpwSI) taking referrals from fellow GPs for conditions in specialties such as ophthalmology, orthopaedics and dermatology. There are now some 1,250 GpwSIs, meaning that the NHS Plan target of 1,000 by 2004 has already been exceeded.
	Figures for August 2003 showed the waiting list has fallen for the third successive month to 984,200—173,800 below the level inherited in March 1997. The number of patients waiting over 12 months was 18,200 (99.8 per cent) lower than August 2002.

National Institute for Clinical Excellence

Lord Ashley of Stoke: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What authority the Department of Health has to set aside the rule that guidance for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence should be implemented within three months.

Lord Warner: The Secretary of State for Health has exercised the powers of direction in Sections 17 and 97C(8) of the National Health Service Act 1977 to require primary care trusts to make certain sums paid to them available for the implementation of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance in relation to technology appraisals within three months of the issuing of the guidance. The directions may be varied using the same powers.
	A member of the senior Civil Service in the Department of Health signs such directions or amending directions with the authority of the Secretary of State for Health.